New cellphone targets 5-year-olds

A whole new class of kindergarteners may be headed to school with more than just crayons in their backpacks. The latest must have? A cellphone.

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By Jessica Ivins

Milford Daily News

By Jessica Ivins

Posted Apr. 18, 2014 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 18, 2014 at 8:25 PM

By Jessica Ivins

Posted Apr. 18, 2014 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 18, 2014 at 8:25 PM

» Social News

A whole new class of kindergarteners may be headed to school with more than just crayons in their backpacks. The latest must have? A cellphone.
Sprint recently announced the release of its WeGo starter phone, designed specifically for kids between the ages of 5 and 12.
The phone is loaded with safety features that cater to the concerned parent. The GPS locator can let a parent know when their child has reached a predetermined destination on time, and will also send out an alert if the child is going too fast. There's an emergency cord on the top of the device that, when pulled, triggers an alarm and sends a text message to the parent.
Parents control all of their child's contacts and what programmed messages can be sent from the phone (i.e. "I'm at home," "I'm at school," "I don't feel well"). Kids can't text anything beyond those pre-determined messages. Also included is a silencing feature during school hours, so parents don't have to worry about their first-graders being sent to detention for using their phones during class.
The phone is waterproof and can withstand a 12-foot drop - designed to survive the often rough and unpredictable guardianship of elementary-age children. It comes with a price tag of $120, with the service plan set at $9.99 a month.
While many parents applaud the company for designing a gadget to help them keep their kids safe, the phone's release has many asking a much-debated question: Just how young is too young when it comes to cellphones?
Children are being introduced to the world of mobile communication at a much younger age than ever before. A 2013 survey of over 2,300 parents found that on average, kids get their first cellphone at the age of 7. That's six years younger than the average back in 2003.
The same survey discovered that while 22 percent of parents admitted to buying their kids phones because their classmates had them, an overwhelming 74 percent of parents chose to give their children phones for safety reasons and for general "peace of mind."
The WeGo seems to be catering to the latter demographic.
"Sprint WeGo is the perfect starter phone to give parents peace of mind while teaching kids responsibility - how to keep track of a device, charge it and care for it," David Owens, Sprint's vice president of product, told the Wall Street Journal.
Ironically, while the majority of parents turn to cellphones for safety reasons, many worry about the safety issues the phone itself can present. Internet access, social gaming, photo texting and questionable apps raise flags for many a parent - especially when it comes to younger children.
Notably absent from the WeGo: games, videos, apps and pretty much everything else that falls in the entertainment/social media category. The phone is simply about safety, according to Sprint.
"This device has all of the basics without anything younger children don't need just yet," Owens said.
Experts say it comes down to how parents communicate with their kids about cellphones and their purpose. The earlier the conversation, the better.
"The cellphone is simply a tool," University of Wisconsin professor Mary Geissler told WEAU News. "We're still parents, we must be parents. We're responsible. Set those boundaries and I think you're going to have a good experience with (cellphones) with your child."%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D163987%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E